Airship hull



June 12, 1928.

1 L EL w Nn Rm. Am K.A

Filed July 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jn-Venfor:

June 12, 1928.

K. ARNSTEIN AIRSHIP HULL Filed July 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Unvenfor:

Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL ARNSTEIN, OF FRIEDRIGHSHAFEN-ON-TH3EBOZDEI TSEE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB TO THE FIRM LUFTSCI'IIFFBAU ZEPPELIN' GESELLSCHAFT MIT IBESCHRANK'IER 'ZEEAFTUNG, OFFRIEDRICHSHAFEN-ON-THEBODE1\T$EE, GERMANY.

AIRSHIP HULL.

Application filed July 16, 1923;8cria1 No; 651,952. and in Germany August 21, 1922.

My invention refers to improvements in the construction of the hulls of air craft and it particularly refers to the wire netting which partly fills the quadrangular or rhome boid gaps formed in the metallic structure or hull of rigid airships by the combination of longitudinal and transverse. members, such wire netting servingthe purpose of con fining the envelopes of the gas cells within is the metallic frame and preventing an excessive expansion of the cells. I t

It is an object of my invention to provide for a better distribution of the stresses and of the transmission of forces in the metallic structure than it was possible to accomplish heretofore. Up till now the panels formed in the metallic structure have been provided with ,a a loose wire netting secured at several points 29 in order to restrict the bulging and expansion of the gas cells which bear from the inside against the frame and the wire netting. The wire netting heretofore in use transmits the forces generated by the gas pressure onto the longitudinal members. Thus the longitudinalmembers have to absorb the differences of the gas pressures of two adjacent panels by lateral fiexion. This strain, however, constitutes a great inconvenience for the longitudinal supporting members which are moreover exposed to, a considerable crushing strain for the reason that the other strains referred to run in the direction of the smaller width of the supporting structure. Furthermore, this method of construction necessitates an exceedingly large number of wire fastening points on the longitudinal members.

These inconveniences are avoided accord ing to my inventionby so arranging the wire fasteningpoints that they become situated exclusively at the points of intersection and fixation of the longitudinal and transverse supports. for the purpose of a more perfect subdivision of the panels to intersectingly arrange wires on the freely exposed panel portions and on the supporting beams, the wires are mount 50 ed according to this invention so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction upon the intersected members, that is to say, they are only laterally guided, so that in view at the unobstructed guiding of the members to the longitudinal and transverse members Wherever it becomes necessaryv the strainsto which the wire is subjected in two ad]o1n1ng panels, may be compensated, and lateral stresses upon the intersected members are prevented.

In order to produce a satisfactory subdivision of the panels the wires may be defiected laterally by interlacing intersecting wire-s.

It is preferable, when attaching the wires to the frame, to temporarily insert a spring which, in being compressed, provides for the required slackness of the wires.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating diagrammatically by way of example parts of an airship skeleton frame embodying the principles of this invention. a Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings are perspect ve plans representing .4 diflerent examples of making use of my invention. Fig. 5 is a diagonal cross section taken on line of Fig. 1. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective plan showing longitudinal supporting mem bers a a ring-shaped transverse members Fund 6 Two slack wires 0 and dare se-v cured only at the points of intersection and fixation of the longitudlnal and transverse members by means of eyes 6.

Figure 2 is distinguished from Figure 1 by the wires 0 and (Z being jointed or interlaced at f, and being thereby'deflected, so that an additional pair of wires 0 d may be inserted which is interlaced or jointed at 7 fl in a similar manner.

- In the form shown in Figure 8 the wires extend across two panels. Three longitudinal members a a a intersect and are fixed to two ring-shaped transverse members Z2 b. The wire 9 extends from the point of fixation a 6 to the point of fixation a 6 and across the longitudinal member a and is displaceably guided at i on such support; The wire it extends from a, b to a b and likewise intersectsthe longitudinal member (1 and is guided thereon in the same manner, so that there is the possibility of a compensaton of tensions in both wires, 9 and it, across the longitudinal member a wires starting at the points of intersection of the members 6 and 6 with the member a are only partially shown. They extend in a manner similar tothe ether wire; they" The are also"laterallyguided uponthe lo ngitiidinal members a and a respectively.

Figure 4 shows a form in which the slack ires are niade'to extend across three pime'ls. lllore'over, fbl tllfi purpose of'l'i'rod'ueing a satisfactory subdivision, always two wires extend from one corner and they are laterally deflected at the points of intersection with the longitudinal members. The four longitudinal nieinb'ei's 'a ,a ,a a), are'fixed to the two ring-shaped members {1 b respectively at the pointsof intersection. The points e 72, and a, b are 'coi iiectedhy d agonal wires Z1 and k3. Onthe transverse members a and (L3. these two WiresQaie loosely guided in plates i, so as toilbe laterally] held to the longitudinal ihenibei's, and are deflected out of the diagonal 'dire 'ction. In the same manner the pair ot diagoiial wires] and Z connecting'tli'epoints 'ofinter'setjtio'n al bf and "a 'b .iesfiectitely, is deflected in guides "i on the longitii'dinal members (L2 and a. r I

In Figure 5 ailiagonal crossls'ectio'n on the line AA of Figure 1, is 'showim on a somewhat enlarged scale. I I v Tlie tavo longitudinal men'ibersa and a are 'pi'ov'i'dedht the points where they intersect with transverse members with eyes 3 "to which the wires 0 "are secured. The wire a isfslack'so as to allow of a con sp'eauni bulging of the envelopen of the filled gas cell. c 4

Various other constructionsand modificat'i'ons 'are'n'ithi'n the scope of'tliis invention, and ivill suggest themselvesin accordance with Varying conditions o l ap'l' lieatio nshf the iniieiition, and when deviating from the spiritther'eof, as noin'ted out in the claims. More particularlythe terin wire shall include also non inetallic t'ens'i0n' nians such as strings and the like.

"1. A'rigid airship hull comprising :1 Phir'al'i't-y of longitudinal. memb rs, transverse members inte'rsetti'n'g an longitudinal members and wires extending beiween pbints of intersection of "said longitudii'ial members with said transverse members, said 'Wires crossing one of said'ioiigitiidinaliiieinliers and means slidablj supporting and g'iiidi'ng said wires 'a'gainst lateral movement on said some longini'dinu member.

2. Arigidairship ll'tilllibmpflhiflgh lural-ity of longitudinal member-59mm rse members intersecting said "longitudinal member-s. ivii es eiitendi'ng between fpoints'of ii' tersect'ion of saiddoiigitudin'al neiiihers with said transverse inen'ibers, and means for deflecting said wires 'longitudinallybf' said hull.

3. A rigid airshiplhullcor'f prising{a rality o'f longitudinal naeiiibers, transiterse members nt t n SllC ll longitudinal memb rs, w Ukfgndmg btweenapointsbf members interseetion (if said longitudinal members with said ti'ansv erse members, and means for guiding said Wires intermediate the points of intersection andfor' deflecting said "wires longitudinally .ofsaid hull.

.4. A rigid "airship hull comprising a plurality of longitudinal members. transverse intersectin such longitudinal members, wires extending between points of intersection hf said longitudinal members with said transverse members, said wires crossing one (if said longitudinal members and means 'for guiding said Wires against lateral moi enieiit and for deflecting said wires on' said 'cifo'ssed longitudinal members.

'5. lLri'gijd airship h'ull comprising substantially reticularly intersecting longitudi- I'i'al 'and tran's'i'eise iting-shajie d supporting members gas (Bells at theinside of saidsuppbrtinfg members, and wires diagonally coun'eeti'fi'g points'of intersection andtenr iom all and slidably n iountedfl'm inte intuliate siij fi'oi'ting men'ibei's and defiect-ifiglyintere ecting each other upon the exposed portions of said gas cells. V 1 I '6. A rigidairship hull coi'iiprisiiig snlr stantial ly reticularly intersecting lhngit udintll :liid transverse "ring-shaped supportin ineinhers f'g ajs cells {it the inside of said supporting i 'nembers, itiresdiagonally connecting points of intersection and displace- V f i r- I w w ably mountedjon intermediate su iportlng niemh'elrs and interlaf cingly and d" ectin'gljr crossi'i'ig each otherui'ion the exposedportions of sai'd gas 'c'ells "intermediate the neighboring stiff oriin mtmims.

'7. "Arigidairsliilrliull comprising Sill)- s'tantially reticulm'ly intersecting 1 'longitud i rial and transverse ii ig-shajie'd supjiorting members, gas cells nounteduit the insideot said members deflecting means supported on said supportihgiine nihers and intermediate thereof, wires diagonally connecting points of in'ters'ection of said suhpbrt'ing members and liat in aden gt'h i'n excess of the distance thereof and de fleirtin gly and tcns'ioiiz'i'lly' mounted' on said deflecting means.

P8. A rigi d aiiship hiiilliaving a gas cell therein, 'cdniprisi'ii fa "plurality of "rigid longitudinal members distributed over the circumference of the 'lillll, rigidtransi erse iiienfi'bers also disti'ih' itetl 'oier the circumferenbe of the hull and intersecting the 'riieinbers. 'tl l 'ld n'ires for stipportin the e'ireuniferential was of the toll ai 'dconnectedhitintersections of the lon gitudinal and transvei se"members? said Wl res being connected tit iioints in said intersection materiallfsatidd from the outer Sill,

nee 6011mm of um'iitlistipe eiieeram; said wires'he'ingfdisposd' in the circumferential hail? ls'tiiic t'iifr'e adjacent the eiew'mferennai surface of the-gas' cell.

"Intestimony 'wh eif'of I aitix my signature.

"KARL ARNFi'P'EIN. 

